Katelyn E. Cutinello, Esq.

Co-founding member of Cocca & Cutinello, LLP

Ms. Cutinello has over a decade of litigation experience at both the trial and appellate levels.  She was named as the New Jersey Defense Association’s 2018 Young Lawyer of the Year and was included in the 2018-2023 list of New Jersey Super Lawyers “Rising Stars”. 

email:  kcutinello@coccalaw.com

Ms. Cutinello’s current practice areas include general litigation, medical & nursing malpractice, nursing home negligence, professional liability, hospital law, regulatory & compliance issues, professional licensure, automobile negligence, premises liability, insurance coverage and appellate practice.   She has actively participated in the defense of a number of notable cases resulting in groundbreaking Appellate Division and Supreme Court decisions, including Brugaletta v. Garcia, 234 N.J. 225 (2018), Brugaletta v. Garcia, 448 N.J. Super. 404 (App. Div. 2017), aff’d in part, rev’d in part, 234 N.J. 225 (2018), Estate of Burns v. Care One at Stanwick, LLC, 468 N.J. Super. 306 (App. Div. 2021), Ptaszynski v. Atl. Health Sys., 440 N.J. Super. 24 (App. Div. 2015), cert. denied, 2016 N.J. LEXIS 988 (2016), Hurwitz v. AHS Hosp. Corp., 438 N.J. Super. 269 (App. Div. 2014), as well as numerous unpublished decisions.  Ms. Cutinello has argued in the Appellate Division and New Jersey Supreme Court and appeared as Amicus Curiae on behalf of the New Jersey Defense Association on a number of cases, including Rodriguez v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 237 N.J. 36 (2019) and Yagnik v. Premium Outlet Partners, LP, 467 N.J. Super. 91 (App. Div. 2021).  In addition to litigation, Ms. Cutinello has provided guidance to healthcare facilities on various regulatory and compliance issues, including developing, reviewing and revising policies and procedures, Patient Safety Act compliance, assistance and representation in Joint Commission and Department of Health inquiries, medical staff matters and licensure and certifying Boards.

Prior to founding Cocca & Cutinello, Ms. Cutinello was a partner at another defense firm in Morristown, NJ.  She previously served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Malachy E. Mannion, then United States Magistrate Judge, currently, United States Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  She also served as a legal intern with the Governor’s Office of General Counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of State in the Hearing Examiner’s Office, where she assisted in professional licensure matters.

Ms. Cutinello has lectured on a number of topics including Civil Law, Appellate Practice and Women and the Law, Diversity and Inclusion.  Her publications include “Ptaszynski v. Atlantic Health Sys.: The Changing Landscape of NJ Nursing Home and Med Mal Litigation” a two-part article published in ALM’s Law Journal Newsletters - Medical Malpractice Law & Strategy; Brugaletta v. Garcia: The Patient Safety Act Privilege Defined, New Jersey Defense Journal, Fall 2019; Trella v. Bradish: Brugaletta Version 2.0, New Jersey Defense Journal, Spring 2020; and “Flattening The Curve” On The Coming Wave Of COVID-19 Litigation, New Jersey Defense Journal, Fall 2020.

Education
J.D., Widener University School of Law – Harrisburg, 2010
-Moot Court Honor Society, Member
-Jessup International Moot Court Competition, Regional Quarterfinalist, 2010
-Trial Advocacy Honor Society, Internal Vice President
B.A., The Pennsylvania State University, 2006
-Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
-Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society 

Admissions
New Jersey, 2011
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, 2011
Pennsylvania, 2010 

Associations & Memberships
Morris County Bar Association
New Jersey Defense Association
-President Elect, 2023-2024
-Secretary/Treasurer, 2022-2023
-Board of Directors, 2018-2022
-Past Vice President - Northern Region, 2017-2018
-Co-Chair of the Professional Liability Committee
-Secretary for the Appellate Practice Committee -Past Co-Chair of the Young Lawyers Committee American Heart Association’s Northern NJ Go Red for Women -Member of the 2019-2023 Executive Leadership Team

Honors & Awards
New Jersey Defense Association’s Young Lawyer of the Year, 2018
New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2018-2024  
The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thompson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.